Massive rare leatherback turtle weighing more than 200kg is found dead after washing up on a farm in New Zealand
- Leatherback sea turtle was found dead at a farm in Akaroa, near Christchurch
- The 2.5m-long reptile was so large it had to be lifted into ute with a tractor
- Turtle will be taken to national museum in Wellington so scientists can study it
An endangered turtle weighing more than 200kg has washed up on a farm in New Zealand.
The leatherback sea turtle is the largest of all living turtle species and one of its kind was found dead at a farm in Akaroa, on New Zealand’s South Island on Monday.
The 2.5m-long reptile was so large it had to be lifted into the back of a ute using a tractor.
The leatherback sea turtle is the largest of all living turtle species, and one of its kind was found dead at a farm in Akaroa, near Christchurch
The 2.5m-long reptile was so large it had to be lifted into the back of a ute using a tractor
Department of Conservation ranger Derek Cox said there were plans to take the turtle to Wellington so scientists at the national museum Te Papa could study it.
‘We brought it in to the workplace here [in Akaroa] and tried to sort out what we were going to do with it, and get it to Wellington,’ he told Stuff.
‘As you can imagine, 200 kilos of turtle is quite a logistical nightmare to move around.’
Mr Cox decided to drive the turtle to Christchurch from Akaroa, but not before taking it to nearby Duvauchelle School to show the students there.
Department of Conservation ranger Derek Cox said there were plans to take the turtle to Wellington so scientists at the national museum Te Papa could study it
He said it was the third leatherback turtle he had seen in 12 years as a ranger.
‘We haven’t got any idea of what killed it, that’s up to Te Papa. It could be full of plastics,’ he said.
The turtle will be freezed before it is taken to Wellington by a truck.